Visible index system



June 24, 1,930. H. A. CONSQR UAL, 1,765,568

VIS IBLE INDEX SYSTEM Filed Sept. l2, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 24,1930. H. A. coNsoR ET AL 1,765,568

VISIBLE INDEX SYSTEM Filed sept. 12, 1925 s sheets-sheet 2 June 24,1930. H. A. coNsoR Er AL VISIBLE INDEX SYSTEM Filed Sept. 12, 1925 5Sheets-Sheet '5 Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED serres T OFFICE HERBERTAUSTIN CONSOB., HAROLD LOUIS MATTERS, ND ALBERT Gr. .VUEST, OIE MONROE,MICHGAN, ASSGNORS TO THE WEEE, MANUFACTUR'XNG COMPANY, OF MONROE,MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN VISIBLE INDEX SYSTEM Application ledSeptember 12, 1925. Serial No. 55,993.

This invention relates to so-called visible index cabinets and drawerstherefor, of the kind in which the index cards are detachably held on atray or drawer which slides freely into and out of the cabinet, and inwhich the said cards are arranged flatwise in overlapping relation, whenthe tray or drawer is pushed into the cabinet, but are adapted to beswung upwardly and spread apa-rt for the purpose of inspection thereof,when thc tray or drawer is pushed out.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved cabinet and drawer construction, and a novel construction ofslide and other elements, tending to increase the general elliciency'anddesirability of a visible index system of this particular character, aswill hereinafter more fully appear.

It is also an object to provide certain details and features ofconstruction and combinations tending to increase the general etliciencyand desirability of a visible index structure of this particularcharacter.

To these and other useful ends, the inven; tion consists in the mattershereinafter set forth and claimed, land shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a perspective of a visible index ing` theprinciples of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse section, on a larger scale, on line 2-2 inFigure l;

ligure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the follower employed on eachdrawer of said cabinet; y

Figure 4; is a detail section on line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the drawers of said cabinet, withcertain portions thereof in horizontal section, and with certainportions shown broken away for convenience of illustration;

Figure 6 is a rear end elevation of the drawer and slide constructionshown in Figure 5, on a larger scale, with the adjacent portions of thecabinet shown in vertical section;

Figure is a detail sectional view, on the saine scale as Figure 6,showing the manner cabinet and drawer construction, embody-` in whichthe drawer is supported by the slide, when the drawer is pushed out andallowed to hang down vertically;

Figure 8 is a perspective of the inclined plane employed in each drawerto support the cards;

Figure 9 is a perspective, with portions broken away for convenience ofillustration, of one of the cards and card holders employed inconnection with the drawers shown in the drawings;

Figure l0 is a vertical longitudinal section of the cabinet and drawers,showing the upper drawer and slide pulled out, this view beine onsubstantially the same scale as F igurel; and

Figure ll is a horizontal section on line ll-ll in Figure 10, showingone of the lower drawers pulled out, and broken away for convenience ofillustration. l

As thus illustrated, the cabinet l is rectan gular in shape, and may beconstructed of wood, or Vany other suitable material, being providedinternally with horizontal partitions Q inserted in grooves 3, as shown,these grooves being formed horizontally on the inner surfaces the sfidewalls of the cabinet. nterniediate grooves l are also formed pai'- allelwith said grooves 3, as shown, for a purpose which will hereinafterappear.

1 Each drawer 5 is formed of sheet metal and has a sheet metal bottomwall 6 and upstanding side walls T, as shown in Figure 2 of thedrawings. These side walls are bent down inside to forni overhangingportions 8, and below these overhanging portions the visible cardholders 9 are inserted, so that the cards l0, detachably secured to saidcard holders, are free to swing upward and `be separated, such a isneces; ry for inspection. The card holders 9 are inserted by slrewingthem around obliquely to the drawer, so that they will rest upon thebottoni wall of the drawer, and by then straightening them around untilthey are at right angles to the drawer so that the end portions of theholders 9 are then held under the overluinging portions 8 of the drawer,but with perfect freedom of the holders to slide longitudinally of thedrawer.

An inclined plane l1 is inserted in the front portion of each drawer, asshown, with the upturned portions underneath the overhanging portions 8,so that this inclined plane can slide longitudinally of the drawer.VrlChe cards 10 lie in overlapping relation, upon the said inclinedplane, so that the cards at the front end of each drawer do not lielatwise upon the bot-tom of the drawer but are held in slightly raisedposition, as shown in FigureV 10, and such inclination ef the cards ismaintained throughout the length of each drawer, obviously, by thisarrangement.

The sheet metal slide 13, which is at the rear of each drawer, isprovided at opposite sides with the upturned portions let, which are inturn bent over and inwardly to provide horizontal portions 15 at thetop. Below these horizontal portions 15, the sheet-metal slide, at eachside, is provided with inturned lugs 16 and with outturnerfl lugs 1l',as shown.

'lhe transverse rod 18 is formed of bent por-r tions 1Q to be lengagedby the sheet-metal hooks 2O formed on the rear end of each drawer, andthis rod is provided with longitudinal and parallel portions 21, in theforni of loops, as shown in Figure 7, each loop extending around one ofthe lu ns 16, previously mentioned, whereby the rod i8 is capable ofsliding relatively to the sheet-metal slide 13 in a directionlongitudinally of the drawer. Normally, the rod is held against suchrelative movement by the coil spring 22 that connects the. rod to therear edge of the sheetmetal slide 13, as shown. The lugs 17 travelV inthe grooves 1, as shown, and these grooves have stops 23 near the frontof the cabinet, so that the outward movement of the slide 13 toward thefront of the cabinet is limited by these stops. lVhen the stops 23engage the lugs 17, the slide 13 comes to a standstill, but because ofthe relative sliding connection between the slide 18 and the rod 18, thelatter lcontinues to move outward against the tension of the spring 2Q,as shown in Figure 7, until the drawer can hang down vertically, thehooks 2O supporting the drawer on the portions 19 of the rod, in themanner shown. The hooks 20, it will be seen, are beveled at 24 tofacilitate reinsertion of the drawer in the cabinet, when the drawer ispushed back in the cabinet, in a manner that will be readily understood.l

The cards and card holders, of course, can be of any known or approvedform, but the form shown in Figure 9 may be employed, and is operativein connection with the sheetmetal drawers or trays shown and described.lVhen a drawer or tray is pulled out and allowed to hang down, asindi-cated in Figure 7, the cards can be spread apart for inspection,and can be manipulated easily in a manner to facilitate inspectionthereof.

lVhen the drawer is raised for reinsertion in the cabinet, the spring 22will pull the rod 18 back, into normal position, and the insertion ofthe drawer will push the slide 13 back to normal position, as shown in.Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings. TWhen a drawer is pulled outward,the slide 13 moves in unison therewith until the lugs 17 strike thestops 23, and then the slide 13 stops moving, but the rod 1S movesoutwardly a further distance, as previously explained, so as to carrythe rear or inner end of the drawer or tray entir ly outside of Jthecabinet, thereby to permit the drawer to hang down vertically, if sodesired, i

lt is desirable, of course, to hold the card holders 9 together', andfor this purpose a follower of the kind shown in Figure 3, andasindicated in Figure 11, is employed in each drawer or tray. rlhisfollower comprises a swinging, or flexible, or resilient rod 25 havingrearwardly bent end portions 26 that extend through the sheet-metalpieces 2T, as shown. These sheet-metal pieces 27 slide readily underoverhanging portions 8 of the drawers or trays, when the follower is inposition. The rod 25, however, is longer than the distance between thesides of the tray or drawer, and for this reason the rod must be sprungor bowed to permit insertion of the follo in the drawer or tra f.Preferably, the rod Q5 is bowed or sprung upwardly, and after thesliding pieces 27 are in position, the bowed rod is then pusheddownwardly until it retains itself against the bottom of the drawer ortray, in the manner shown in Figi-.re 11 of the drawings. The followeris easily manipulated and moved from one position to another, whennecessary or desirable, as in the insertion and removal of cards andcard holders.

The cards 10, of course, can be of any suitable character, and byeards'is meant any sort of fiat element or member which can be foldeddownand arranged in overlapping relation. A connection between eachdrawer and its follower provides a hingelike conneetion to per lit thedrav er or tray to swing vertically and relatively to its follower. Asshown, if the cabinet is resting upon a table, any drawer can be pulledout and allowed to assume an inclined position by resting its outer endupon the table, or, if it be desired to have the drawer hang verticallywhen pulled out, he cabinet can then be mounted on any suitable support,or can be brought over closer to the edge of the table so that thedrawer, when pulled out, will hangvertically, as shown. Of course, eachdrawer or tray is also detachable from its allotted follower, as thehooks 20 are of such a character that they can be unhooked from the rodportions 19, should it be desired to entirely detach any drawer or trayfrom the cabinet structure. f

Frein the foregoing, it will be seen that additional or new cards andholders may be inserted readily at any desired point, by`

moving the follower' back and separating the cards and holders at thedesired point or points, and by inserting the new card or cards andholders in the manner explained.

As shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings, it will be seen that the inclinedplane 11 has its highest point disposed a distance below the tops of theside portions of the tray, thereby providing clearance for the cardsbelow the overlying wall which holds the cards down. In addition, it isthis overlying wall wiieh necessitates the pivotal connections betweenthe resilient wire 26 and the slide portions 27, as this resilient wiremust be pressed. down upon the bottom of the tray to permit the latterto be pushed into the cabinet. Hence, after this Wire has been bo-wed,in upright position, to permit the insertion of the card follower in thetray, the said wire is then rotated on its pivotal end portions topermit it to be pressed down flatwise against the bottom of the tray,thereby permitting the tray and the cards to be pushed into the cabinet.

Tithout disclaiming anything, and withoutprejudice to any noveltydisclosed, what we claim as our invention is:

1. In a visible index system, the combination of a cabinet, a memberslidable therein, a follower for the inner end of the member, thecabinet having means to provide guides for said member and follower, andto keep the follower in the same plane, means to limit the outwardmovement of the follower, a spring controlled lost motion connectionbetween the follower' and said member per mitting relative movementbetween said member and the follower in the plane thereof, by movementof the member away from the follower, after the follower reaches thelimit of its outward movement, so that the said member may be free toswing down and hang vertically, said connection having spring means onthe follower to draw the member and follower toward each other adistance when the member is pushed back in the cabinet.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said follower comprising a sheetmetal plate, and said connection comprising a bent rod movable on saidplate with the spring normally resisting relative horizontal movementbetween said rod and plate, together with hooks on the inner end of saidmember to engage said rod, forming a hinge connection permitting themember to swing vertically and relatively to the follower.

3. A structure as speciiied in claim 1, said connection comprising hookson the rear end of said member, said follower having means horizontallymovable thereon to engage said hooks, forming a hinge connectionpermitting the member to swing vertically and relatively to thefollower.

4. In a visible index system, the combination of a cabinet, a memberslidable in and out of said cabinet, a follower for said member, andspring controlled means on said follower to permit relative movementbetween said member and follower, after the follower reaches the limitof its forward sliding movemient, operative to draw the member andfollower a distance toward each other when the member is pushed backinto the cabinet.

5. A structure as specified in claim 4, said spring controlled meanscomprising a bent rod on said follower subject to the spring control andcomprising means permitting a relative horizontal sliding action betweensaid rod and follower, said rod being disposed upon and above thefollower.

6. A structure as specified in claim l, said spring controlled meanscomprising an element movably mounted upon said follower, and comprisinga spring permitting relative horizontal movement between said elementand follower, after the follower reaches its said limit of movement,means upon said member to detachably engage said element.

7. A structure as specified in claim 4, said spring controlled meanscomprising a hinged joint intermediate of the said member and follower,said follower' having means movable horizontally thereon whereby saidmember is adapted to swing down.

Specification signed this third day of Sept.,

HERBERT AUSTlN CQNSOR. HAROLD LOUIS MATTHES. ALBERT G. WUEST.

